Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lanham, Maryland 20706
Sunday, January 31, 1993 12:58 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 1,400 FEET MSL, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER. THE PILOT COULD NOT RESTART THE ENGINE SO HE MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. DUE TO THE CONGESTED AREA, THE PILOT COULD NOT MANEUVER THE AIRPLANE. TO AVOID HITTING A HOME OR POWERLINE, THE PILOT STALLED THE AIRPLANE AT ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE FELL 200 FEET ONTO A ROAD. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSED THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL VENT LINES WERE TOTALLY BLOCKED BY INSECT NESTS, WHICH TERMINATED THE FLOW OF FUEL TO THE ENGINE. THE BLOCKAGES WERE FOUND IN THE FUEL VENT LINES AT THE WING ROOT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE BLOCKAGE OF THE RIGHT AND LEFT FUEL VENT LINE WHICH PREVENTED THE FLOW OF FUEL TO THE ENGINE CAUSING TOTAL POWER LOSS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/31/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1258
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City LANHAM
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20706
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1255 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID ADW
Elevation of weather observation facility 50
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 53
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 31 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1435
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48211
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:06PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1383R
NTSB Number BFO93LA024
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GRUMMAN AMERICAN
Aircraft Model AA-5
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-5
Aircraft Serial Number AA5-0783
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 29 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 1880
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID SPIEGELTHAL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9D RESEARCH ROAD
Aircraft Owner City GREENBELT
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20770
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAVID SPIEGELTHAL
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 9D RESEARCH ROAD
Operator City GREENBELT
Operator State MD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 20770
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code W28
Departure City FRIENDLY
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1240
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code W18
Destination City LAUREL
Destination State MD
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --